"Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that come from wisdom."

                                                                                        James 3:13

In the latter part of the nineteenth century, a Swedish chemist named Alfred Nobel invented what we know as dynamite.

One morning the great chemist awoke with his usual routine, breakfast and the paper, and was stunned when he turned to the obituary section and read the following.  "Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died yesterday, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich man."

As it turned out, it had been Alfred's brother who had died.  The newspaper reporter had simply made a horrible mistake.

As time passed, however, Nobel continued to think about what he had read, and it changed him profoundly.  He decided he would rather be remembered for something other than developing a way to kill people so efficiently and becoming a rich man in the process.  So, he initiated an award which is given to scientists and writers who foster peace and the improvement of mankind, the Nobel Prize. Said Nobel, "Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one."

I believe that few things will change us as much as looking at our life as though it were over.  We have the chance to re-write our epitaph every day, with the actions and attitude with which we serve Christ through serving others.  Seek peace , and you may be surprised to find it in your own heart in the process.

"Father God, Help us each day to write the epitaph of our lives in love and peace with our neighbors.  In Jesus' name, AMEN."